Spray head



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United States Patent 3,189,253 SPRAY HEAD John it. Moore, 82 asterton Ave., Akron 3, @his Filed lian. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 249,856 3 Claims. (Cl. 239-333) The lpresent invention relates to spray head devices and more particularly to a spray head device used in association with sewage disposal systems.

The principal obje-ct of the present invention is to provide `a novel spray head device of an extremely simple and highly practical form for dellecting and distributing liquids, such as over and through sewage filter beds.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spray head device which is self-cleaning.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spray head ldevice asociated with the open end of a flow pipe, comprising, in general, a liquid dellector member adapted for closing Ithe dow pipe open end and vbeing movable to open position in `a direction parallel with respect to the pipe open end by iiow pressure exerted within the pipe, and means `connected to the liquid dellector member for .biasing the deliector member to `closed position and adapted for tting over the flow pipe for relative movenient thereto.

Other objects inherent in the natu-re and character of the device disclosed will be apparent to those skilled in the art trom the drawings, and from the detailed description which follows.

ln the accompanying drawings and for-ming a part of this specification: p

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the deflector member of the novel spray head device;

FIG. 2 is a view in cross section taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 4;

FG. 3 is an elevational view of the spray head device;

FIG. 4 is across sectional view of FiG. 3;

FIG. 5 is `a plan view of `a modified dellectcr member for the spray head device;

FlG. 6 is an elevational view of FIG. 5; i

FIG. 7 is a plan view of another modified dellector member for the spray head device; and

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of FIG. 7.

The novel and improved spray head device which is .the subject of present invention is designed primarily for use in a sewage disposal system, and is further designed With the `intention tof using it for distributing raw liquid sewage, `such as over or through a filter bed. The lilter bed may be `a mass of discrete material such as gravel or wood sl-ats, over which a gelatinous `aerobic bacteria collects and which is generally known in the sewage disposal art as zoogloea. The nocgloea or aerobic bacteria require for sustenance oxygen and moisture, therefore it is conventional t-o place the filter in the system where it will be exposed in some suitable manner to the atmosphere o-r oxygen, yand to distribute liquids, especially raw sewage liquids over or through filter beds, by spraying, so `as to expose the liquids to the atmosphere for partial breakdown through oxygenation. The zoogloea or aerobic bacteria feed on the septical matter With-in the raw sewage and pass a relatively pure liquid therefrom into other stages where the liquid is subsequently treated, as by chemical means.

Unless the Zoogloea or aerobic bacteria is directly contacted by the force of the spray distribution, there is a tendency for the filter bed to develop an excessively heavy growth in those areas not beingr hit by the spray. As a consequence, the continued growth fills up lthe spaces between the discrete material to such an extent as to cause pending or ilooding, thereby making it diiicult if not impossible for the liquid to pass through the filter.

Sdd Patented .lune l5, i965 ICC lt is a purpose et the spray head device 1li to achieve an effective liquid Contact over or through the lter 'be-d. The spray head device includes a deiiector plat-e :or member il which is adapted to close the open end of a tlow pipe l2 with which the device is associated. The flow pipe in turn is connected to a remote source of liquid (not shown) for conducting the liquid such as raw liquid sewage from Ia settlement tank, by predetermined pumping pressure.

The liquid -deliector member 11 is maintained normally in closed position over the open end 13 of the liow pipe by a biasing means such `as by the weighted collar `14 shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. lt should be understood that the scope lof the invention is not necesarily limited to a weighted collar but may also encompass any other suitable structune which would serve to retain the deilector member in closed position over the open end of the flow pipe and which would permit the delieetor member to move away from the ilow pipe open end so that the member will at .all times be evenly parallel with respect to the pipe open end 13 in order to maintain even distribution.

The weighted collar 1d is prefer-ably connected to the dellector member l1 by a series of rods l5. The rods are tixed :at one end within the collar and at the other end to the deflector member il. The weighted collar is split, as shown at ld, so that it may be readily adjusted in the iield during installation over and about the outside dilameter of the flow pipe l2 and so that it will also be capable of tree axial sliding movement relative to the tlow pipe.

The deilector member ll may be further provided with la centrally disposed aperture 17 for a purpose to be described.

In the operation of the novel spray head device 10, when pressure is being exerted within the liow pipe by the liquid sewage being pumped upwardly therethrough, the liquid pressure against the deflector member will cause the dellector member, :and accordingly its biasing means or weighted collar t4, which is disposed about and over ythe flow pipe l2, to be moved or raised relative to the `open end 1-3 of the ilow pipe. rlhe extent to which the -deliector member is moved is determined by the lamount of pressure `employed and the weight of the collar; and the extent `of the range of `the spray distribution will 'be determined by the extent of the opening between the dedlector member and the ilow pipe open end. rlibe resulting spray from the deilector member, as shown at 13 in FIG. 4, will be fan-like in character `around the entire `circumference of the member as it contacts the undersurface of the member and is deflected radially outwardly between the member and the flow pipe open end.

The spray head device may be employed in a type of `sewage disposal system wherein the top of the Iilter bed compartment, as partially shown at 19, is closely spaced from the top of the deilector member; thus an additional stream of liquid may pass through a centrally disposed aperture 17 provided in the member. The stream will be deflected by the top i9 of the lter compartment, as shown at Ztl in FIG. 4, for further breakdown of the liquid and distribution over the filter bed. Thus the novel spray head device is capable of a primary and secondary liquid distribution.

ln FG. 5 a modified version of the dedector member lll is illustrated wherein :that portion of the deiiector member which contacts the open end of the flow pipe is flat in order to attain a substantial closing effect and the peripheral edges of the deflector member are scalloped. The scalloped peripheral edges cause a spray pattern to be made different from that disclosed in FIGS. l-4, the result being somewhat like a staggered or tiered spray planewise with respect to the top of a filter bed, not shown.

andasse FIG. 7 discloses still another modilication wherein the central portion of the deiector member 211 is also iiat so as to attain a substantial closing eect with the open end of the fiow pipe when in closed position. The peripheral edges of the deilector member are alternatively cut and bent downwardly as shown at 220, for still another and different spray pattern and are capable of causing the deliector member and its biasing structure to rotate gradually relative to the iiow pipe over a period ot time of operation. As a consequence, if there were any tendency for a filter bed to develop an excessively active bacteria growth in any areas not directly contacted by a direct blast of the spray, it would be substantially eliminated.

It is a further advantage of the invention that in the manner of construction of the novel spray device the deiiector member is axially and parallelly movable with respect to the open end of the pipe that in the event any obstructive masses in the liquid sewage should occur within the flow pipe the pressure in the pipe being the same will cause the deilector member to rise higher than normally and thereby allow the obstructive mass to pass outwardly from the ow pipe.

Thus it may now be observed that the improved and novel spray head device of the present invention is self cleaning; serves also as a closure structure for the end of a iiow pipe; is adapted to provide for diterent types of spray distributions; and is also adapted to provide for lesser or greater distributions depending on the pressure being exerted through the iiow pipe and the force or" the biasing means.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a spray head device associated with the open end of a liquid flow pipe,

a liquid detiector member adapted to it tiatly in closed position against and parallel to the open end of the flow pipe and adaptable to be axially movable away from the flow pipe open end to open positions,

and a weighted collar means annularly disposed about the iiow pipe and including means connecting said collar means to said liquid deiiector member, said collar means continuously biasing said liquid deiiector member toward said closed position and being adapted to be axially slidable relative to said ow pipe so that said deector member is movable by liquid iiowing from the pipe in an axially parallel direction away from said open end to open positions determined by the force of the iiow and counter biasing effect of the collar means to obtain an even distribution of liquid outwardly from between the iiow pipe open end and the distributor member toward the periphery of the distributor member,

said periphery of the detiector member including additional means for deflecting the liquid in a tiered pattern beyond said periphery.

2. In a spray head device associated with the open end of a liquid iiow pipe,

a liquid deflector member adapted to fit flatly in closed position against and parallel to the open end of the ow pipe and adaptable to be axially movable away from the flow pipe open end to open positions,

and a weighted collar means annularly disposed about the flow pipe and including means connecting said collar means to said liquid deflector member, said collar means further having a spl-it along its length for adjustment of said collar means about said iiow pipe and continuously biasing said liquid deliector member toward said closed position and being adapted to be axially slidable relative to Said flow pipe so that said deliector member is movable by liquid ilow from the pipe in an axially parallel direction away from said open end to open positions determined by the force of the liow and the combination of the counter biasing eifect of and the adjustment or said collar means about the ow pipe to obtain an even distribution of liquid outwardly from between the flow pipe open end and the distributor member toward the periphery of the distributor member.

3. in a spray head associated with the open end of a liquid iiow pipe,

a liquid defiector member adapted to t iiatly in closed position against and parallel to the open end oi the iiow pipe and adaptable to be axially movable away from the flow pipe open end to open positions,

and a weighted collar means annularly disposed about the ilow pipe and including means connecting said collar means to said liquid defiector member, said collar means continuously biasing said liquid deilector member toward said close/d position and being adapted to be axially slidable relative to said flow pipe so that said detlector member is movable by liquid flowing from the pipe in an axially parallel direction away from said open end to open positions determined by the force of the iiow and counter biasing effect of the collar means to obtain an even distribution of liquid outwardly from between the iiow pipe open end and the distributor member toward the periphery of the distributor member;

said periphery of the detiector member having additional means for deliecting the liquid in a tiered pattern beyond said periphery and including means for reacting against the liquid flow to provide rotation of said deflector member relative to the ow pipe open end.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 177,630 5/76 Foster 239-306 1,019,420 3/12 Brath 239-506 X 2,422,059 6/47 Wilber 239-506 X 2,550,100 4/51 Voss 239-571 X 2,848,276 8/58 Clearman 239-382 3,030,032 4/62 Lohman 239-522 X FOREIGN PATENTS 504,333 7/54 Canada.

30,659 2/85 Germany.

EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT A. GLEARY, Examiner. 

1. IN A SPRAY HEAD DEVICE ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPEN END OF A LIQUID FLOW PIPE, A LIQUID DEFLECTOR MEMBER ADAPTED TO FIT FLATLY IN CLOSED POSITION AGAINST AND PARALLEL TO THE OPEN END OF THE FLOW PIPE AND ADAPTABLE TO BE AXIALLY MOVABLE AWAY FROM THE FLOW PIPE OPEN END TO OPEN POSITIONS, AND A WEIGHTED COLLAR MEANS ANNULARLY DISPOSED ABOUT THE FLOW PIPE AND INCLUDING MEANS CONNECTING SAID COLLAR MEANS TO SAID LIQUID DEFLECTOR MEMBER, SAID COLLAR MEANS CONTINUOUSLY BIASING SAID LIQUID DEFLECTOR MEMBER TOWARD SAID CLOSED POSITION AND BEING ADAPTED TO BE AXIALLY SLIDABLE RELATIVE TO SAID FLOW PIPE SO THAT SAID DEFLECTOR MEMBER IS MOVABLE BY LIQUID FLOWING FROM THE PIPE IN AN AXIALLY PARALLEL DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID OPEN END TO OPEN POSITIONS DETERMINING BY THE FORCE OF THE FLOW AND COUNTER BIASING EFFECT OF THE COLLAR MEANS TO OBTAIN AN EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF LIQUID OUTWARDLY FROM BETWEEN THE FLOW PIPE OPEN END AND THE DISTRIBUTOR MEMBER TOWARD THE PERIPHERY OF THE DISTRIBUTOR MEMBER, SAID PERIPHERY OF THE DEFLECTOR MEMBER INCLUDING ADDITIONAL MEANS FOR DEFLECTING THE LIQUID IN A TIERED PATTEN BEYOND SAID PERIPHERY. 